JOURNAL 4

Nellie Gotebeski

Semptember 22, 2009

Moral Development

What does mainstream of popular culture assume about human nature? What are the clues that tell me what it assumes? How does this fit with my own view? How about my view of myself?

We have all heard the popular advertising quote “sex sells,” well apparently so does violence. Whether Hollywood believes it or not, they typically depict human nature as violent. I have turned on the television several times in the last five years, only to find humans cheating, lying, or acting aggressively. I often wonder what happened to the old shows that promoted altruistic behavior and created a positive image of humanity. According to book The Human Potential for Peace, “A study of over 2,000 television programs aired between 1973 and 1993 on major networks in the United States found that more than 60 percent featured violence and over 50 percent of the leading characters in these shows were involved in violence.” The author concludes that this overrepresentation in violence can contribute to an unrealistic picture of the world.

The news is also bombarded with aggressive actions; murder, rape, and abuse. With the headlines constantly screaming violence, it is no surprise that viewers are led to the false assumption that humans are innately violent Wars and terrorist attacks support this claim, but it is essential to note that, “The vast majority of people on the planet awake on a typical morning and live through a violence-free day - and this experience generally continues day after day.” While humans are portrayed as violent creatures, I live each day without inflicting violence on anyone else or being a witness of the violent acts of others. I know the majority of people in the world can say the same thing. This makes a positive statement for humanity. 

To add to the fire, the people society looks up to and admires are often these “pop-icons”, who occasionally partake in violent behavior. For instance, Chris Brown is a famous rap musician, who recently pled guilty to a domestic violence incident. We see these “idols” commit these horrible violent behaviors, and our image of the humanity becomes swayed from a peaceful nature to a violent one. The media clearly believes that humanity is innately violent and they use television and our “pop-icons” to reinforce it. 

Despite this negative entertainment world, I have a higher vision of humanity. This vision does not negate the fact that there are instances in which humans behave violently; however, it upholds the more positive and peaceful actions displayed in everyday life. Humans are a cooperative group, who over time have developed effective ways to resolve conflicts. Fry discusses his 5 major approaches to conflict management which include; avoidance, toleration, negotiation, self-redress, and settlement. We have developed these techniques because we desire to peacefully interact with each other. Humans cannot live alone, which is why we live as networks, communities, and societies. As the human-race, we communicate and cooperate with one another to bring about the best for ourselves, our neighbors, and our future. I view myself as one of those individuals that strives to live with others in harmony. Sometimes, I get upset and frustrated; however, I do not believe it is my innate nature to violently attack another human. Maybe we were born that way, but I believe that as we grow and understand what society is really about, we do not want to harm our neighbors. We create our own evolution in the time we have here on Earth. As Fry states, “Conflict is an inevitable feature of social life, but clearly physical aggression is not the only option for dealing with conflict.” There is a hope for peaceful resolution.